Waterproof footwear and method of making the same

ABSTRACT

A waterproof footwear assembly comprises a sole assembly and an upper. The upper has an outer layer with a plurality of panels stitched together. A continuous layer of waterproof material is fixed to the outer layer&#39;s inner surface and extends over the stitched seams. The waterproof material defines a seamless waterproof barrier covering substantially the entire outer layer. The waterproof material&#39;s peripheral shape substantially matches the outer layer&#39;s peripheral shape. The layer of waterproof material is joined to the outer layer when in the outer layer is flat. The upper has a second configuration wherein the waterproof laminate is formed from the first configuration to a three-dimensional shape that defines the interior area configured to receive the foot of the wearer.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional utility patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/386,288, titled WATERPROOF FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME and filed Sep. 24, 2010, and which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to footwear, and more particularly to waterproof footwear and methods of making the waterproof footwear.

BACKGROUND

Challenges associated with the design and manufacture of footwear for outdoor activities include providing a rugged, durable, waterproof shoe or boot without creating passageways in the waterproof material through which water can pass. There is also a need for waterproof footwear constructed so that water is not trapped within the upper between the layers.

During construction of conventional footwear, components of the footwear's upper are often stitched together. Conventional manufacturing techniques have drawbacks and encountered issues with maintaining the waterproof nature of the footwear, especial at the seams formed upon stitching panels together to form the upper of the footwear. There is a need for an article of footwear and method of manufacturing the article of footwear that overcomes these challenges in an efficient and cost effective manner.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes waterproof footwear and methods of making the waterproof footwear in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention that overcome drawbacks experienced in the prior art. At least one embodiment, a waterproof footwear assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises:

Another embodiment provides a waterproof footwear assembly, comprising a sole assembly and an upper fixed to the sole assembly. The upper having an outer layer with a plurality of panels stitched together, wherein stitched interconnections between the panels define water-permeable, stitched seams. The upper has a continuous layer of waterproof material fixed to an inner surface of the outer layer and extending over the stitched seams. The waterproof material defines a seamless waterproof barrier covering substantially the entire outer layer, and the upper has an interior liner positioned so the seamless waterproof barrier is intermediate the interior liner and the outer layer.

Another embodiment provides a waterproof upper for footwear having a sole assembly and having an interior area that receives a foot of a wearer. The waterproof upper comprises an upper having a plurality of panels stitched together to define an outer layer, wherein stitched interconnections between adjacent panels are water-permeable stitched seams. The upper has a continuous layer of waterproof material fixed to an inner surface of the outer layer and extending over the stitched seams. The layer of waterproof material defines a seamless waterproof barrier covering substantially the entire outer layer to form a substantially waterproof laminate. The upper has a first configuration with the outer layer being substantially flat defining a two-dimensional plane, and wherein the layer of waterproof material is joined to the outer layer when in the first configuration to form the waterproof laminate. The upper has a second configuration wherein the waterproof laminate is formed from the first configuration to a three-dimensional shape that defines the interior area configured to receive the foot of the wearer.

Yet another embodiment provides a method of making a footwear assembly for a foot of a wearer. The method includes stitching together a plurality of panels in a substantially flat planar arrangement to define an outer layer for an upper, wherein stitched interconnections between panels define stitched seams, the outer layer having a first peripheral shape. The method also includes attaching a substantially continuous layer of waterproof material to an inner surface of the outer layer when the outer layer is in the substantially flat planar arrangement, wherein the continuous layer of waterproof material extends over the stitched seams and defines a seamless waterproof barrier covering substantially the entire outer layer to form a substantially waterproof laminate in a flat configuration. The method also includes shaping the waterproof upper laminate from the flat configuration to a three-dimensional configuration that defines an interior area shaped to receive the foot of the wearer, and attaching the waterproof upper laminate when in the three-dimensional configuration to a sole assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric view of footwear in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of panels of an upper of the footwear of FIG. 1, with an assembly of panels shown arranged in a two-dimensional layout.

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of the panels of the upper of FIG. 2 in combination with a continuous layer of a waterproof material.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the upper of FIG. 2 shown molded or otherwise shaped in a three dimensional arrangement for attachment to a sole assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A footwear assembly and a method of making the footwear assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments is disclosed below. Several specific details of the invention are set forth in the following description and the Figures to provide a thorough understanding of certain embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the art, however, will understand that the present invention may have additional embodiments, and that other embodiments of the invention may be practiced without several of the specific features described below.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to footwear having an upper attached to a sole assembly. FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric view of a boot 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Although the following description of the embodiments refers to a boot, the present invention applies to the upper of other types of waterproof footwear. The boot 10 of the illustrated embodiment includes a waterproof upper 20 attached to a sole assembly 22. The upper 20 is shown in FIG. 1 in a completed three-dimensional shape, wherein the upper is constructed with a waterproof layer 24 adhered to an inner surface 26 of a plurality of panels 30 of a selected face material 32.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the panels 30 of the upper 20 shown joined together in a two-dimensional layout. During construction of the upper 20, the face panels 30 are substantially planar pieces of the face material 32, and these panels are stitched or otherwise joined together. In at least one embodiment, substantially all of the panels 30 that make up the complete upper 20 of the boot 10 (FIG. 1) are stitched together in a substantially flat, two-dimensional configuration. The assembly of flat panels 30 can be folded, molded or otherwise shaped to form substantially the entire upper in three-dimensions, such that the upper 20 in the three-dimensional shape can be adhere or otherwise joined to the sole assembly 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the panels 30 of the face material 32 have an outer surface 34 that will form the exterior surface of the boot's upper 20. The panels 30 also have an interior surface 36 that will face inwardly toward the upper's interior area 12 (FIG. 1), which receives the wearer's foot. The panels 30 can be made of a variety of materials, including leather, fabric or other materials that can be sewn or otherwise joined together. When the panels 30 are stitched together, the joined panels have a stitched seam 40 between them. The raw seams 40 between adjacent panels 30 are not waterproof because of the needle holes formed in the panels during the stitching process.

During manufacture of the upper, the panels 30 are stitched together so as to be positioned in a substantially two-dimensional arrangement. This assembly of panels 30 has an outer peripheral shape. After the panels 30 have been joined together, a waterproof layer 50 is attached to the interior surface 36 of the panels. FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of the panels 30 of the upper 20 of FIG. 2 adjacent to a continuous layer 50 of a waterproof material 52. The waterproof layer 50 is cut, formed or otherwise provided in a continuous sheet of material having no seams and having an outer peripheral shape that is substantially identical to the outer peripheral shape of the assembly of panels 30. The waterproof layer 50 is applied over the entire interior surface 36 of the panels 30, so that the waterproof layer covers all of the panels and all of the seams 40 between the panels while the panels are still in the two-dimensional shape. After the waterproof layer 50 is applied to the assembly of panels 30, thereby forming a waterproof laminate 60, the waterproof laminate is shaped, molded or otherwise formed into a three-dimensional shape corresponding to a substantially finished shape of the upper 20 that can be joined to the sole assembly 22 (FIG. 1).

In one embodiment, the waterproof layer 50 is cut or otherwise formed in the same shape as the assembly of panels 30 prior to applying the waterproof layer to the interior surface 36 of the panels 30. In another embodiment, the waterproof layer 50 can be applied to the interior surface 36 of the panels 30, and then the waterproof layer and/or the assembly of panels can be trimmed to ensure that each layer has the same or other desired shape.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded cross-sectional view of the panels 30 of FIG. 3. In one embodiment such as in the illustrated embodiment, a layer of adhesive material 56 is applied to the interior surface 36 of the panels 30. This adhesive layer 56 can be applied to the interior surface 36 of the panels 30 before the panels are stitched together, or it can be applied to the interior surface after the panels are stitched together. In one embodiment, the adhesive material 56 is activated by the application of heat and pressure. Other embodiments can use other adhesives or other bonding materials.

The layer of waterproof material 52 in at least one embodiment can include a conventional polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material or polyurethane (PU) material. In some embodiments the PTFE or PU material can be a layer 53 on a carrier 54, such as a tricot knit carrier material. In other embodiments, however, other waterproof material or waterproof laminate packages can be used, and the layer of waterproof material is not limited to PTFE or PU material. In at least one embodiment, the waterproof layer 50 can be a planar, flexible laminate that includes the liner 60 adhered or otherwise bonded to the waterproof material 52. In the illustrated embodiment, an adhesive 62 securely joins the liner 60 and the waterproof material 52 together without puncturing or otherwise compromising the waterproof material. In the illustrated embodiment, the fully assembled laminated waterproof layer 50 can be provided in sheets, rolls, or other large portions. The waterproof layer 50 can be cut into the desired shape before the waterproof layer is attached to the assembly of panels 30.

In at least one embodiment, the waterproof layer 50 is attached to the assembly of panels 30 that is arranged in the flat, substantially two-dimensional arrangement. The waterproof layer 50 can be placed onto the adhesive layer 56 on the interior surface 36 of the panels 30, so the outer perimeter of the waterproof layer 50 substantially matches the outer perimeter of the assembly of panels 30. Then, heat and pressure is applied to one or both of the waterproof layer 50 and the assembly of panels 30, thereby activating the adhesive. In one embodiment, the waterproof layer 50 is attached to the assembly of panels using a vacuum press process, a roll press process, bladder press process, flat plate press process, or other suitable process for applying the requisite heat and/or pressure to join the two layers. Upon cooling or curing of the adhesive, the full, seamless waterproof layer 50 is permanently attached to the assembly of panels 30.

This process of stitching the panels 30 together first and applying the waterproof layer to the interior surface 36 of the assembly of panels while the panels are in the two-dimensional arrangement provide for improved speed and reduced cost of forming a fully waterproof laminate that can then be molded or otherwise formed into a three dimensional boot upper without having to perforate the waterproof layer 50. FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the upper 20 shown molded or otherwise shaped in a three dimensional arrangement for attachment to a sole assembly 22 (FIG. 1). In the illustrated, when the upper 30 is molded from the two-dimensional shape to the three dimensional shape, there will be only seam formed in the upper where the edges of the upper attach to each other. The single seam can be fully sealed with an adhesive without having to perforate or puncture the waterproof material.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the invention. Additionally, aspects of the invention described in the context of particular embodiments or examples may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. Although advantages associated with certain embodiments of the invention have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages. Additionally, not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims. 

1. A waterproof footwear assembly, comprising: a sole assembly; and an upper fixed to the sole assembly, the upper comprising an outer layer having a plurality of panels stitched together, wherein stitched interconnections between the panels define water-permeable, stitched seams, the upper having a continuous layer of waterproof material fixed to an inner surface of the outer layer and extending over the stitched seams, wherein the waterproof material defines a seamless waterproof barrier covering substantially the entire outer layer, and the upper having an interior liner positioned so the seamless waterproof barrier is intermediate the interior liner and the outer layer.
 2. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the panels are made of at least one of leather and a fabric material.
 3. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the waterproof material is impermeable to liquid water and is permeable to water vapor.
 4. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer layer is an outermost exterior layer of the upper.
 5. The footwear assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer layer has a first peripheral shape, and the waterproof material has a second peripheral shape that substantially matches the first peripheral shape.
 6. A waterproof upper for footwear having a sole assembly and having an interior area that receives a foot of a wearer, comprising: an upper having a plurality of panels stitched together to define an outer layer, wherein stitched interconnections between adjacent panels are water-permeable stitched seams, the upper having a continuous layer of waterproof material fixed to an inner surface of the outer layer and extending over the stitched seams, wherein the layer of waterproof material defines a seamless waterproof barrier covering substantially the entire outer layer to form a substantially waterproof laminate; wherein the upper has a first configuration with the outer layer being substantially flat defining a two-dimensional plane, and wherein the layer of waterproof material is joined to the outer layer when in the first configuration to form the waterproof laminate; and wherein the upper has a second configuration wherein the waterproof laminate is formed from the first configuration to a three-dimensional shape that defines the interior area configured to receive the foot of the wearer.
 7. The waterproof upper of claim 6 wherein the panels are made of at least one of leather and a fabric material.
 8. The waterproof upper of claim 6 wherein the layer of waterproof material is impermeable to liquid water and is permeable to water vapor.
 9. The waterproof upper of claim 6 wherein the outer layer is an outermost exterior layer of the upper.
 10. The waterproof upper of claim 6 wherein the outer layer has a first peripheral shape, and the layer of waterproof material has a second peripheral shape that substantially matches the first peripheral shape.
 11. The waterproof upper of claim 6, further comprising an interior liner positioned so the seamless waterproof barrier is intermediate the interior liner and the outer layer.
 12. A method of making a footwear assembly for a foot of a wearer, comprising: stitching together a plurality of panels in a substantially flat planar arrangement to define an outer layer for an upper, wherein stitched interconnections between panels define stitched seams, the outer layer having a first peripheral shape; attaching a substantially continuous layer of waterproof material to an inner surface of the outer layer when the outer layer is in the substantially flat planar arrangement, wherein the continuous layer of waterproof material extends over the stitched seams and defines a seamless waterproof barrier covering substantially the entire outer layer to form a substantially waterproof laminate in a flat configuration; shaping the waterproof upper laminate from the flat configuration to a three-dimensional configuration that defines an interior area shaped to receive the foot of the wearer; and attaching the waterproof upper laminate when in the three-dimensional configuration to a sole assembly.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the stitching together a plurality of panels comprises stitching together a plurality of panels made of at least one of leather and a fabric material.
 14. The method of claim 12 wherein attaching a substantially continuous layer of waterproof material comprises attaching a substantially continuous layer of waterproof material that is impermeable to liquid water and is permeable to water vapor.
 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising altering the layer of waterproof material to form the second peripheral shape before the layer of waterproof material is attached to the outer layer.
 16. The method of claim 12, further comprising cutting the layer of waterproof material into the second peripheral shape before the layer of waterproof material is attached to the outer layer.
 17. The method of claim 12, further comprising attaching the layer of waterproof material to the outer layer and then altering the layer of waterproof material to form the second peripheral shape to match first peripheral shape.
 18. The method of claim 12, further comprising attaching the layer of waterproof material to the outer layer and then trimming the outer layer and the layer of waterproof material substantially simultaneously to the first and second peripheral shapes.
 19. The method of claim 12 wherein shaping the waterproof upper laminate comprises shaping the waterproof upper laminate into a substantially finished shape of the upper for the footwear assembly.
 20. The method of claim 12, further comprising attaching an interior liner to the waterproof upper laminate, wherein the interior liner is positioned with the layer of waterproof material intermediate the interior liner and the outer layer. 